I Won't Lose Tomorrow
by Serina Nightsong
Summary: After his execution for the Justice League's crimes against Rimbor, Superman has wound up five years in the past. Equipped with knowledge of the future, can he save everyone he loves? Daddy!Clark
1. The Deal

Summary: After his execution for the Justice League's crimes against Rimbor, Superman has wound up five years in the past. Equipped knowledge of the future, can he save everyone he loves? Daddy!Clark

I Won't Lose Tomorrow

* * *

Chapter One: The Deal

* * *

Clark never thought this would be how he would die.

The League's trial by the hands of Rimbor citizens had turned out to be nothing more than a sham. Despite the gallant efforts at the hands of Icon to give them a decent defense, the Rimbor judges had long already decided on their guilt months ago. With the announcement of their guilty verdict, the collars they had been forced to wear had quickly blasted them all with a fatal dose of electricity that killed them on the spot.

What would his family do? His parents wouldn't even have a body to bury, who would help them? And Kon-El, his little brother Conner was still so young. Far too young. He had promised his little brother he would come back; he was too young to deal with the burden of being of Superman. He hadn't taught him enough, trained him enough. He had wasted so much time avoiding him when he needed him the most.

And Lois! All that time he had wasted putting everything off. He had pussyfooted around; never brave enough to express his love to her as Clark or as the man of steel. Always afraid she would reject one or both sides of him. He had never gotten to touch her, to kiss her, to be with her. So much time wasted. If only he had been braver. If only he had been stronger.

So many regrets, so much time he had wasted.

Now here he was floating through a never ending darkness, completely and utterly alone.

"This isn't fun at all!"A familiar, grating voice yelled through the darkness.

A tiny bald man in a purple pinstriped suit appeared floating in front of him, his face bright red with anger. "That's how you die? It's so lame!" he admonished. "I wanted something exciting! A giant battle! An unstoppable enemy! YOU DIDN'T EVEN HIT ANYTHING!"

"Mister Mxyzptlk," he said.

" _Superman_ ," the fifth dimensional imp said mockingly, "or should I call you _Superlame,"_ Snorting at his own childish joke.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Just a little pocket dimension I made up when I pulled you soul from the pearly gates," Mxyzptlk said waving in a blasé fashion. It was very easy to forget how powerful a fifth dimensional imp could be outside their pranks at times. He suddenly gave him an uncharacteristically dark expression. "So I can tell you just how much you disappointed me."

"I did?"

"You lost this game and in such anti-climatic way." He whined. "This isn't what I wanted at all. I wanted something great. A last show down for the ages."

"I'm sorry?" he said uncertainly.

"Damn right, you're sorry, Mister!" Mxyzptlk snapped. "That's why you're going to fix this!"

Superman snapped to attention at those words. "What do you mean by that?"

"We're going to play a game!" The imp said. "I'm going to send you back to stop all this."

He grabbed the imp instinctively. "You can do that? Then send me back, already. I can't die yet, Mxyzptlk. I can't!

The imp gave him a dirty look before teleporting out of his grip. "You didn't let me say the rules! How rude are you? Didn't your parents give you any manners, huh? Huh?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. This was his only chance to fix things. He couldn't mess things up.

"It's just one rule, if you want to be all technical about it. But it's a big one. Under no circumstances can you tell anyone that you've travelled back from time. If you do…" The imp grabbed his neck and made a choking sound before transforming himself into a grave with the words, ' _Clark Kent 1978-2016,'_ engraved on the front. He transformed back and gave him a grave look, "Are we clear? I can't make things too easy for you know you know."

Superman nodded. He would prevent the justice league from going to Rimbor no matter what would happen. It would be tricky but he could get them to realize how unfairly they would be treated at the planet somehow.

"We're clear."

"Good!" Mxyzptlk said with a smile. "Don't disappoint me!"

He snapped his fingers and everything went white.

* * *

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Clark yawned as he turned off his clock, preparing to sleep in for another five minutes before the previous events started flooding in. The kryptonan jumped into the air as he realized he was after months sleeping on the cold cell floors of Rimbor he was once again in his New Troy apartment in Metropolis. Momentarily overcome with the sense of joy of being home once more, he let out a loud whoop. He remembered the fifth dimensional words and quickly looked at the nearby calendar on the wall to check the date.

 _March 28 2010._

Instead of six months before their trip to Rimbor like he had assumed the Imp would send him. The imp had sent him back nearly six years in the past. Long before The Light had ever used Red Arrow or the rest of the leagues as a weapon for their own gains. Before the Justice League even knew there _was_ a Light.

There was so much he could prevent as he remembered all the tragedies that had fallen upon the League and the team at the hands of the sinister organization like Red Arrow's unknowing enslavement to their demands and that snake Kaldur'ahm's betrayal to join his father. He could save Ted, Giovanni, little Tula, and his nephew in all but blood, poor little Jason from their tragic ends this time around.

He could save everyone.

Superman tried to remember everything and anything relevant that happened this month. Besides a few purse snatchings and a attack by Livewire, there hadn't been much crime that he could remeber. He is just about to get ready for work before he bonks himself on the head for almost missing the most important milestone that had occurred today.

Superboy had been born exactly one week ago.

The idea of letting him age to sixteen like the original timeline is quickly disregarded as soon as it comes. His brother had long been troubled by the lack of his own childhood and constantly had a hard, distant look whenever he saw happy children despite his attempts to hide it. Burdened with the knowledge that his body would never grow and age along with others due to the damage of The Light's defective aging procedure had done to his body, to be like Peter Pan and never age from a boy into a man.

The day that Superboy had found out he would never age had been one of the few times that Clark had ever seen his brother cry so openly in their short time together. The others being when he asked Clark if there had been anything he could have done to stop Kaldur's betrayal or his dark confession of the real reason M'gann and he were no longer a couple.

But his little brother who had had his whole childhood stolen from him before he had ever opened his eyes, was currently just one years old sleeping peacefully in the bottom floor of Cadmus.

And this time Superman could save him, spare him all that heartache and give him the life he always wanted but was never given.

He called Perry citing a family emergency to avoid going to work, and headed straight to Washington.

* * *

Sneaking into the Cadmus building is a simple affair. The building had not been made to protect itself from superfast metas and in under a minute, Superman has infant Superboy in his hands in a deserted construction site several miles away before they even knew what hit them.

He looked down and had guessed right about Superboy's age, Superboy was currently one, give or take a month from his appearance. His former solar suit was currently more of a solar onesie at the moment.

Superboy had been jolted away by the sudden movement and blinked blearily at the man of steel, revealing familiar, bright blue eyes under a messy mop of black hair while he let out a large yawn. It was strange to see his little brother look so young and innocent and free from the anger he wore around himself like a cloak.

The boy watched his surroundings with great curiosity before his eyes landed on Superman's crest.

He squealed happily before he grabbed his own S on his onesie, instantly reminding Clark of his first meeting with Superboy when he had lifted up his torn up shirt all those years ago.

"Hey, we match," Superman told him smiling.

He was rewarded with a string of happy babbling and squeezed the boy closer towards him, inhaling his scent.

The next part would be the hardest. The reason he had picked this spot was more than it had been the first empty spot he could find. Inches to his left, next to a broken bulldozer were one of the zeta-beam entry points littered across the country.

The rules of Mxyzptlk's game rang in his ears and he took a step into the portal, adjusting Superboy in his arms as he teleported straight to the Watchtower, preparing for the interrogation he knew was about to face.

He was certain with the knowledge he had at his disposal for the next five years. No matter what happened this time around. He would save everyone.

* * *

End Chapter


	2. I'm a Dad?

I Won't Lose Tomorrow

Chapter Two: I'm a Dad?

It is only the fifth dimensional imp's words that stop Clark from kissing the floor when rematerializes back at the Watchtower.

That and the toddler in his arms.

Superboy was currently entertaining himself by sucking on the edges of his cape; Clark gently pulled it out of his mouth and was rewarded with a sharp cry in exchange before the toddler yanked the cape out of his hand and popped it back in his mouth, content once more.

Conner was a very loud little boy.

As he walked towards the meeting room, he thought through a myriad of excuses to tell the league to explain why he had broken into Cadmus. Batman, if he remembered correctly had only started investigating the organization a month from now or so. As far as the league had known the company was on the up in up.

It would have to be something believable. Bruce was an incredibly suspicious person and the last thing he needed was Bruce to become suspicious of _him_. Superman had more than enough faith in the dark knight that he could put something together as unbelievable as time travel with just a few clues. His excuse had to be something the dark knight would believe.

* * *

"So you felt him?" Bruce repeated as he observed the baby in Clark's arms, after chewing out the Kryptonian for his 'insane recklessness,' of course.

It had to be something Bruce couldn't prove false.

And despite being a master of nearly everything Clark could think of, Bruce was not a master at Kryptonian physiology.

"I did," he lied. "I had felt this-this _tugging_ for the past week. And today and it lead to me straight to this little guy." Raising the child up to Bruce's level in an effort to disarm the caped crusader. "It must be a kryptonian thing." he offered.

The dark knight looked at him suspiciously but seemed placated for the most part.

Bruce had sent Captain Atom, Red Tornado, Barry and Hal to examine the Cadmus facility that he couldn't believe Clark left to its own devices after learning they cloned him. While only a small amount of leaguers remained in the Watchtower, J'onn on Mars and Diana visiting Themyscira. And it wasn't like Clark could really tell him that despite coming through the facility on several occasions, the Justice League had never found anything of use at Cadmus.

"He's so cute," Dinah cooed, snatching the child out of Clark's hands with ease. "Hi, sweetie, I'm your Aunt Dinah."

Conner giggled particularly loudly at being held by the blonde superheroine.

It seemed like some things didn't change.

"Conner really likes you," he observed.

"Conner?" Dinah repeated confused. "You already named him?"

"W-Well, I couldn't keep calling him, Superboy, all the time." He said quickly, cursing himself for the casual slip. "And he looks like a Conner to me. Don't you think?"

She shrugged. Dinah gave the baby a large wet kiss and sent him into another fit of laughter.

"So what are you going to do about him?" Bruce asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it looks like you're a father now, Clark," Dinah said.

Clark wanted to correct that notion as quickly as possible. Superboy was his little brother. Nothing more. The main reason that he had taken so long to warm up to Superboy in the first place had been these two forcing the role of father down his throat in the first time line.

But the first time around, Conner had been _sixteen_.

He had been a little more than half of Clark's age. Far too old for the reporter to consider him his child. He was self sufficient and Clark could have easily left him to his own devices. But now due to Clark's own choices, Conner was utterly helpless and needed constant care and attention. And it wasn't like he could ask his parents in their old age to take care of _another_ Kryptonian toddler.

By Rao,

He had become a _dad._

After a beat or two, Clark managed to find his voice. "I'm going to take care of him of course," Clark told them with a certainty he did not quite believe himself.

* * *

After Bruce finishes grilling him on anything he can think of, he lets Clark and Conner off to freedom with the statement that he'll tell him if they find anything off note at Cadmus.

Clark decided to avoid going back to his apartment and go back home with Conner to Smallville instead.

As soon as he saw his parents he holds his Ma and Pa so tightly he's afraid he might break them. Despite it being only a few months, it felt like an eternity since he had last saw them to leave to that deadly trial. They don't question this action and return it with as much force as their old bones can muster.

"This isn't how I thought I would get grandchildren," His Ma told him after he answered their questions about Conner in his arms. "But it sure is nice to have a baby in the house again."

His Pa dug out Clark's old crib and baby toys from the attic for Conner to use while his Ma teaches him diaper sizes and what foods are acceptable to one year old after changing the baby into a fresh one she had left over from babysitting the neighbor's kid.

"Well at least he doesn't take after you at this point. You were a terror at this age," Martha Kent observed as she saw Conner roll a ball to Pa who passed it back. "You bit everything that came near you like a little piranha."

"Ma!"

"What? It's why no one would babysit you. They would call you Baby Chomp Kent," she teased, her eyes crinkling.

"Ma?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I-I'm not sure I can do this." What could he possible say? That he had let Superboy down countless times before and that was when the boy was older and better equipped to deal with disappointment. There were so many more ways he could mess up with a baby. What if Superboy grew up hating him in this timeline? Or worse?

"Oh honey," His Ma said, patting his hand comfortingly. "When it comes to kids no one is sure about anything at all."

She pointed to baby who was practically falling asleep sitting up.

"All you can do is your best to make them happy and healthy. Will you do that?"

"Of course I will!"

"Then I'm not worried about him at all."

* * *

End Chapter

Next Chapter: Lois


	3. Lois Lane and The Daily Planet

I Won't Lose Tomorrow

Chapter Three: Lois Lane and The Daily Planet

* * *

"….Your bottle, your toys, diapers, some food. Am I forgetting anything?" Clark asked to the boy strapped into a sturdy, steel stroller as he packed his baby bag.

The boy threw a lazy fist in his direction.

Clark had learned over the next week there were few things more distracting than a baby.

He had barely left his apartment since bringing Conner back home from his parents. Leading most of Metropolis to assume he had gone to space once again.

Conner had seemingly adjusted to being outside his pod. Within days, the toddler had learned how to crawl, scoot, and stand on his two feet. He was still babbling for the most part but Clark was certain he would speak any day now considering his progress so far.

He had probably spent an hour the other day arguing with Bruce that Conner's had purposely said, 'gubbins' in reference to the idiotic character on a bright children's show he was watching, instead of a release of gas that Bruce claimed it was.

What did he know? His boy was a genius.

He had taken the week of work to get Conner adjusted to the new place, spending up his remaining sick days in the process. Perry had been adamant he had to come in when he had called his morning. He was prepared to drop off Conner at his parents when they mentioned they had an earlier commitment. He had gotten similar answers when he had asked other league members due to the short notice of the request.

That left Clark with no other choice to bring Conner to Daily Planet. He had wanted to talk to Lois first about this situation. The reporter had only returned yesterday after a month abroad doing a story on Markovia. But it seemed it wasn't in the cards.

He had promised himself, he wouldn't be a coward when it came to Lois this time around. This seemed to be the universe's first test.

Making one last inventory check, Clark was certain he hadn't forgotten anything.

"I think we're all ready, Conner." Clark said. He threw the baby bag over his shoulder, grabbed the stroller and started off on his journey.

* * *

Lois wondered how a whole country was unable to make a decent cup of coffee. But Markovia managed to do it. The country had pretty much exclusively been a tea only place. And it didn't matter if it was green, red or iced, the reporter couldn't stand tea.

Making her way to the Daily Planet's coffee pot. She gulped the terrible, liquid with gusto. Lombard had probably made this particular pot. His coffee was an office abomination but to her taste buds it didn't matter. It was better than the hot leaf juice she had been drinking.

"Where's Smallville?" She asked as she down on her cubicle. She had a souvenir she wanted to give him to show no hard feelings on the the fact she had won the trip to Markovia over him. But she hadn't managed to see him.

"He's been out all week. Family emergency, I heard." Cat Grant, the office gossip told her over the wall they shared.

"Family emergency?" She repeated. Lois hoped the elderly Kents were okay. They were the nicest people she had ever met. Ma Kent had once spent her weekend visiting her son, taking care of her when she was down with the Flu while Pa Kent was the epitome of gentleman. They still sent her a care package once in a while.

Steve Lombard, the sports reporter who was getting himself a second cup, added. "Don't worry. He's coming. Old Steve here heard White tell him he used up all his sick days."

The elevator opened with a loud ding. And Lois peered over her tiny square to see the top of Clark's head just slightly above the maze of cubicles. She waved and he waved as well, a sheepish expression on his face.

"Oh my god," Cat squealed before running towards the reporter. Several others did the same including Steve, Ron Troupe, Jimmy and even their editor Perry White. Lois was mildly put out. She had been gone for a month and she had gotten a weak hello from everyone else. Smallville was gone a week and had gotten a ticker tape parade.

"What's going on here?' She asked. Grabbing her present, she made her way through the crowd that was forming around the farm boy turned reporter. She let out a small gasp when she did.

What she previously couldn't see with her obstructed view was the dark haired, blue eyed toddler that was strapped into the stroller he was holding.

"Hi Lois," he greeted.

"Smallville, who is that?" she asked pointing sharply at the small boy. A dark rage started forming in her chest.

"This is my son, Conner."

* * *

"This is my son, Conner," he said as the crowd of reporters formed around him.

"He's so cute," Cat gushed. Kneeling to eye level with the toddler, she said. "I'm your Auntie Cat, meow." Conner made a strangled attempt at mimicking the sound that turned into, "mwom." The Gossip reporter clapped her hands and unstrapped him from his seat, lifting him up into her arms. Conner mildly surprised at the sudden movement quickly adjusted to the contact and placed his head on her chest.

"You mean you're not gay?" Steve asked. Ron elbowed him in the chest at the remark and he quickly corrected himself, "I-I mean, who's the mom?"

"Yeah, Smallville," Lois said with uncharacteristic coldness. Her lips had formed a tight line. She was obviously displeased that he had not given her the heads up like he thought. She had made no attempt to get closer to the child and was managing a safe distance away from him. "Who is she?"

"She's a girl I had a date with a while back," Clark lied. "She ran out on him and left him on my doorstep a few days ago."

"So he might not even be yours?" Lois asked sharply. Her hands had fallen to her hips and she was analyzing the infant for any signs of a possible alternate father.

"He's mine," he said firmly. He had promised himself he would never deny Conner again. For a moment the reporter looked devastated before a mask of impassiveness covered her.

"Yeah. Don't be silly!" Cat said. "He's a little clone of you, Clark."

Clark gave her an embarrassed laugh. "He really is."

"It's just I never would have thought of you to have a baby mama, Kent," Steve said as the toddler slipped "I'm your Uncle Steve." Conner, the toddler gave the sports reporter a look of disdain that Clark had only seen on his older self whenever he looked at Lagoon Boy.

"He's really cute, CK," Jimmy said.

"Yeah, yeah, babies are adorable," Perry said. Conner had managed to slip into his arms while Jimmy spoke. "But we're a newspaper. Everyone get back to work."

Baby fever had finally worn off and the crowd around him had dispersed. Perry had handed the child back to Clark and headed back to her own office. Lois glared at him as walked back to her cubicle.

Clark sighed as he knelt down to strap Conner back to his stroller once more. The baby clapping once he was safely reseated. He had come back to save everyone and have a second chance with the love of his life.

This was looking to be a great start to the latter.

* * *

 **End Chapter**

 **NOTICE!: I also took up the YJ anon meme prompt: What if Superman liked Superboy and the league didn't in my newest fic,** ** _The Boy of The Silvery Moon_**. **Please give it some attention. My friend Tawananna gave me permission to take up the challenge too.**

 **I also revised version of My Father's Son**

 **I'll be switching updates between my four fics.**


	4. Moving Pieces

I Won't Lose Tomorrow

Chapter Four: Moving Pieces

* * *

Despite Perry's order to get back to work, baby Conner was the top story in the office and it seemed to suddenly shine a spotlight on Clark. Jimmy had taken a surprising amount of photos to the point of leaving Conner disoriented. Cat, a single mother herself had been spending most of her time, grilling the man of steel on the do's and do nots of childcare. According to her death was at every corner with children. Even Perry had made several excuses to visit the child.

Lois on the other hand had refused to look at him once. In the past or in the future depending on how you viewed time, Clark would have let such an action ago and let her cool down. But when you die, everything

As it approached the end of the day, Clark saw Lois prepare herself for a fast exit. But even with a stroller, he was much quicker. He made his way to her and simply said. "We need to talk."

"No," she said, throwing her dark hair behind her as she stood up, "we don't."

Ignoring that brush off, he went after her, following her into the elevator. Luckily Conner had already fallen asleep in his stroller.

"Why are you so upset?" he asked her as they entered an empty elevator. Everyone else had quickly filed out as soon as they did, feeling the tension between them.

"I'm not upset," she lied.

"You haven't looked at me all day."

"How could you tell?" Lois spat. "You looked pretty busy playing superdad all day."

"Are you jealous?" he asked

"No! It's….I had respect for you," Lois said. "Thought you were better than Lombard and those other guys."

"So according to your logic because I slept with a woman," Clark said in disbelief, "I'm as bad as Steve? I'm still a person, Lois."

"If it was Lana or something," Lois said. "I'd understand. But whoever this woman was she must have been trash. I mean she gets pregnant, doesn't tell you and drops a baby on your lap. Honestly, the fact that you could find anyone like that attractive disgusts me."

"But why?" he pushed.

"Because you're supposed to be a good guy," she said. "You're supposed to be Smallville, white picket fence, nuclear family having Smallville with some perfect wife and perfect kids. You're not supposed to have a baby mama running around!"

"I'm sorry I can't live up to your standards. But you're being unfair," Clark said, well aware that he was being incredibly unfair as well.

The female reporter frowned but she didn't say anything more. She exited the elevator and Clark didn't follow.

He wanted to shout his identity from the top of the heavens to her. But more than that, the monster that held him back reared its ugly head once more. Before he told her, he needed to know if there was any hope for Lois and Clark, rather than just Lois and Superman.

* * *

After the conversation with Lois, Clark had decided to go to Bruce's..It was only five which meant he had about an hour of face time before they headed off into their nightly patrol.

After knocking twice, Alfred opened the door. The man showed no response at the toddler and gestured him inside. "Hello Master Kent, Master Bruce is downstairs."

"Hi Clark," Dick greeted cheerfully, bounding down the stairs. Eagerly taking the excuse to get away from his homework. Leaning down he turned his attention at the toddler watching him with wide eyes. "Who is this?"

Surprised that Bruce had omitted something as important as a superbaby to his sidekick, Clark brushed passed and taking the toddler out of his stroller once more, Clark handed Conner over to Dick who lifted the baby over his head. "Dick, this is Conner, Conner meet Dick. He's my son."

Almost dropping the child in his arms, Dick exclaimed, "what?"

After giving the sidekick a abridged version of the events, he headed downstairs to the batcave, leaving Dick and Alfred to entertain the super baby for him.

Bruce was already in costume, peering over data on the large batcomputer. "Clark," he said, without even turning around. "Who's watching Metropolis."

"Jon said he was willing to take care of Metropolis while I adjusted to my new schedule," he said. The green lantern's offer was a godsend.

Bruce just grunted.

"So how come Dick didn't know about Conner?" he asked. "he looked really surprised when he saw him."

"You brought him here?" Bruce asked, with a hint of concern. "We don't know anything about him."

"Conner is completely safe," Clark said. It was an odd feeling defending Conner to formerly one of his most stringent supporters.

"Because you "felt" him," Bruce said.

"And I also checked him at the Fortress," Clark lied, not having made a trip since he had come back. "There's nothing wrong with him at all. He's an ordinary baby. I'm also having J'onn examine him when he returns from Mars." The martian had taken a leave of absence to visit his sister on Mars and unknowingly pick up his white martian niece and wouldn't be back for a few months. The Martian would then

Bruce seemed to be more at ease at that information. "The investigation at Cadmus didn't turn up any leads."

Clark was well aware that it wouldn't.

"But we should be troubled that someone was able to clone a Kryptonian under our very noses."

"Whoever they are would have to be brilliant, rich, and immoral and have a big grudge against me," Clark said.

"You think Lex did it?" Bruce said. "I know you hate him and the man is a criminal, but this seems beyond his simple white collar crimes."

Clark remembered how surprised he had been when he realized just how depraved Lex actually was. He had thought he was a monster before with how poorly he treated his workers and rival companies. But a few years ago he would never believe he was capable of the sheer amount of crimes he had helped orchestrate with The Light.

Luckily, he had a silver bullet that would put the spotlight directly on Lex.

"Because he's Superboy's other parent," Clark said. "I checked the DNA myself."

* * *

End Chapter

 **Author Recommendation:**

If you like **Parent! Clark.** Try **The** **World Is Still Beautiful** by **Anru**. The link is in my favorites. She was the one that gave me an idea that help me get out of the writer's block I had with this fic.


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